The Jets spent the weekend trading in their outdated Hofstra University complex, the team's home for the past 40 years, for a new $75 million, state-of-the-art facility in Florham Park.

Monday, the players spent their first day at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, going through a short walk-through practice and meetings. The Jets' first full day of practice will be Wednesday in preparation for their season opener on Sunday in Miami against the Dolphins and quarterback Chad Pennington.

"You feel like you're part of the NFL now," said one player, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't one of the four players the team made available to the media Monday during a conference call. "Hofstra had to be the worst facility in the league."

The new complex, which the organization believes will give the team a competitive advantage, includes three 100-yard grass fields, a regulation FieldTurf field and a full-length indoor field with a high roof that provides enough room for punts and field goals.

Inside, space is everywhere. The locker room is oval and the locker stalls are huge. There's a lengthy hallway from the locker room to the meeting rooms.

"If you want to get to meetings on time, you have to leave five minutes earlier," joked safety Kerry Rhodes.

The meeting rooms are spacious, with the latest in technology. The training room includes a workout pool that has a treadmill at the bottom to help players rehab injuries. The weight room is enormous. There's a full-service cafeteria that rivals restaurants of upscale hotels. Flat-screen televisions are everywhere and the players' lounge has the feel of a multimillion-dollar mansion.

"I think it's fantastic," said center Nick Mangold. "What they've put in this building for us is amazing. Everything was designed to allow us to have preparation and be at the peak of our game. It's exciting to finally be in the building after hearing about it for so long."

"I enjoy being in the building now," said defensive end Shaun Ellis. "It's something you look forward to coming to. I couldn't wait over the weekend to get here."

Incredibly, the Jets moved into the facility a year early and the week before the season opener. Players were off from Friday through Sunday. Nearly all are settled in New Jersey.

NOTES

Coach Eric Mangini said Mike Westhoff has officially been rehired and he'll run the special teams and act an as assistant head coach. Current special teams coach Kevin O'Dea will assist Westhoff.

Mangini confirmed that veteran safety John Lynch, 36, is on the team's short list although he's expected to re-sign with the Patriots, who released him on Sunday.

Several players said it's going to be "weird" playing against Pennington, who spent his first eight seasons with the Jets. Pennington knows the Jets but the Jets also know Pennington.

"You have to play a little bit of cat and mouse," said Ellis, who played all eight seasons with Pennington.